สรุป
The Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 strengthened protection for victims of domestic violence, created a new homicide-related offence to deal with deaths within the household, and reformed the position of victims in the criminal justice system. It made breach of a non-molestation order a criminal offence (s.1), created the offence of causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable adult (s.5) — which addressed the evidential difficulty of identifying which household member was responsible — and extended the availability of restraining orders, including on acquittal (s.12). It also placed a statutory Code of Practice for Victims of Crime on a statutory footing and established the Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses.
ประเด็นสำคัญ
- Made breach of a non-molestation order a criminal offence (s.1)
- Causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable adult (s.5) — members of the same household may be liable
- Restraining orders available even on acquittal (s.12)
- Common assault made an arrestable (later, an either-way) offence
- Statutory Code of Practice for Victims of Crime (s.32)
- Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses established (s.48)
ส่วนและมาตรา
ประวัติการแก้ไข
2012 — Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims (Amendment) Act 2012
Extended the s.5 offence to cover causing or allowing serious physical harm, not only death.